Basic Education Minister, Angie Motshekga, says the teaching profession is becoming more respected in a number of countries, with respect for the profession, rising exponentially in South Africa, over the past few years.

Motshekga said this last week, when she announced the results of the 2020 Teaching and Learning International-research study.

Known as the TALIS-study, the large-scale research investigates the conditions of the teaching and learning environment in schools across participating countries.

Motshekga says South Africa is the only African country represented in the study, which includes countries such as Australia, Japan, the United States and the United Kingdom.

Motshekga says research done in 2019, shows it is a lot cheaper to educate a child, over a 12 year period, than to feed a pirsoner, on a monthly basis.

The Minister says funds, allocated to National Treasury to her Department, during the covid-19 pandemic, will go a long way in helping children stay off the streets and in school.

The Minister also thanked South African teachers for their selfless service to the country and its pupils, during the covid-19 pandemic.

She says teachers played an important role in ensuring that teaching continued in classrooms across the country, despite the many challenges they faced this year.

"A whopping 61% of our teachers “agree” or “strongly agree” with the statement that their profession is valued in society. This is testament to the strong tradition of teacher union activism, of which NATU played a significant role.” – Minister Mrs. Angie Motshekga

— Dep. Basic Education (@DBE_SA) October 31, 2020